Stevens



(No Model.)

B. G. STEVENS.

FOOT FORM.

No. 587,341. Patented Aug. 3,1897.

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I EDWARD a;

1 ATEN'r FFICE.

ST EVENS, O F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO LAVINIA FRANO MEMBER-Y, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOOT-FORM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,341, dated August 3, 1897.

Application filed August 20, I896. Serial No. 603,303. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD G. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foot-Forms and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to boot and shoe forms to be used for holding the shoes in shape when not in use or for display purposes, for stretching shoes that are too small or that pinch, and for holding the same in shape for convenience in repairing or otherwise handling the same.

It consists, essentially, of a hollow inflated form made of rubber or other elastic material and shaped so that when inflated it will, ap-

proximately at least, assume the form of the interior of the shoe and when inserted therein and inflated will thus hold the shoe in its proper shape.

It consists also of means for restraining certain portions against the extension due to the elasticity of the material, so that the shape may be somewhat varied thereby for different sizes.

The particular features of novelty and construction will be pointed out fully in the specification following, reference being had to the accompanying drawin gs,formin gapart thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a view of my device inflated and placed in a shoe. Fig. 2 is the bottom View of the device, showing the lacings. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the device, showing loops by which the handle for operating the same in boots or shoes is attached, the handle for operating the same being also shown.

The object of my invention is to provide a boot and shoe form which is light and easily handled and which may be changed in size and shape, so as to adapt it to different uses. With this end'in view I make an inclosed bag or sack A out of rubber or other elastic material, shaped so that when inflated with air it will assume, approximately,.the shape of the lower and front portion of the foot-that is, that portion in front of the ankle. To the rear end of this I attach a small rubber tube E, making the same long enough to reach out of the boot or shoe when the form is in place therein. Upon the outer end of this tube I place an air-valve H of any convenient kind.

Upon the lower side of the form, or that side which is intended to go down, are placed two eyeleted strips I. These run lengthwise of the form and are parallel, being slightly handle, by which the same is managed after insertion in a boot.

It is understood, of course, that the handle is used to manipulate the device after it is placed within the shoe, since as it reaches to the forward end of the shoe it is difficult to turn or manage the same after being inserted, and therefore by means of this handle, which engages the loops on the device, the same can be placed in the correct position.

My device is much simpler and neater to handle than the wooden form ordinarily used, and it is also superior to them in that its size and shape may both be varied at will. It can be made to more completely fill and hold out a shoe than can the wooden forms, besides being lighter and easier to handle. When removed from the shoe and not in use, it may be deflated and will occupy but very little space. It can also be made to fit shoes of considerable difference in size.

My device may also be used by repairers to hold the shoe in shape. It is also a convenient thing to use for such work as blackening shoes, instead of inserting the hand therein.

It is of course understood that the shape of the form may be made different from that shown to comply with the requirements of any particular case. For instance, it may be made longer to more completely fill the bottom part of the shoe. The device may be used for stretching a shoe when not in use, the force applied being proportional to the pressure of air used.

It will be found necessary in some cases-for instance, in stretching a stiff shoe or boot to apply a constant pressure. This may be obtained by connecting the tube E with a water-supply pipe.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A foot-formfor dist-ending shoes, con sisting of an inclosed sack of rubber or other flexible material in shape approximately that of that portion of the interior of a shoe desired to be inflated, having a tube and air-valve attached to the rear end thereof, lacing-strips slightly separated from each other and attached to the bottom thereof, and a tube and air-valve attached to the rear end of the form, substantially as described.

ing witnesses.

EDWARD G. STEVENS. W'itnesses:

WILLIAM E. CHENERY, SABRINA A. SMITH. 

